Page 108 of Pick Me This Time

51

STERLING

At six a.m. the next day, I sat across from my father at the breakfast table. It had become something of a habit for us to eat together in the mornings, and for the last few days, I hadn’t even needed to set an alarm for it.

My body clock was on farm time, and at five thirty a.m., I’d been wide awake. After grabbing a quick shower, I’d dressed and come downstairs, getting a pot of coffee on just before my dad had appeared.

Neither of us were morning people, and we hadn’t spoken at all since he’d walked in. After silently making our toast and pouring our coffee, we settled down at the kitchen table. I glanced at the ceiling, picturing Daphne in my bed up there.

Just before I’d left my bedroom, I’d taken a moment to drink in the sight of her there. Lying on her stomach with her long brown hair fanned out across the pillow, her arm had been stretched out to my side of the bed, as if she’d been reaching for me in her sleep.

Her features had been relaxed and smooth, a soft smile on her lips that had done things to my heart—and my cock. All I’d wanted was to climb back into that bed with her, pull her into my arms, and never leave, but I’d known Dad would be waking up and that I needed to have a conversation with him before she appeared.

Dad was munching on his toast, an actual newspaper open in front of him and a cup of coffee in his other hand. I cleared my throat. My fingers wrapped around my own coffee as I looked at him from across the table.

“So, I, uh, I have a girl upstairs.”

Daphne might still have been sleeping when I’d crept out of bed, but I was sure she would be awake soon. I didn’t want her to be embarrassed if she came downstairs and he made a scene—in his own way—about her being here. I knew he loved her, but I also knew he could be quite gruff when he was caught off guard. This way, at least he would be prepared. Hopefully, he’d take seeing her in stride now.

Dad grunted, nodding his acknowledgment that he’d heard me, but his eyes didn’t leave the paper until I spoke again. “It’s Daphne LaSalle.”

He finally glanced up at me, his eyebrows lifting. His eyes searched mine. He didn’t say anything for a moment, just staring at me and blinking hard. “Daphne LaSalle, huh? She’s a good girl. You two together now?”

I shrugged. “We’re something.”

“Just something?” He frowned. “She’s not the kind of girl you’re ‘just something’ with. I thought I’d taught you better than that.”

“You did, but it’s a bit of dilemma.”

To my surprise, he didn’t return to the newspaper. Setting it down instead, he picked up his coffee and focused on me. “Everyone always thinks it’s a bit of a dilemma when they start dating, son. That’s why so many relationships never get off the ground. What’s going on?”

It was my turn to just blink and stare for a long beat. I couldn’t actually believe he was interested in knowing about this. Interested enough that he was even deviating from his morning routine for it. Noone got between Dad and his paper in the mornings, so this was huge.

Feeling like we’d taken another big step forward, I decided to open up to him about it. For all his faults, my father was a pretty wise man. A man of few words, sure, but sometimes, he just had a different take on things. It’d happened often when I’d been growing up that his take had been exactly what I needed to hear.

It was weird talking to him about a girl, though. He’d always had zero interest in my dating life. Mom used to ask questions about my relationships but Dad? He’d run as soon as she’d started asking questions.

Now, however, his gaze was firmly fixed on mine. His posture relaxed as he waited for me to come out with it. I dragged in a breath, running my free hand through my hair, and tried to figure out where to even start.

“Honestly? I would love for my relationship with her to have a chance of getting off the ground, but Eric would have my balls if he knew she was here.”

Dad took a moment to think it over, then shrugged. Fucking shrugged.

“Eric is her brother,” he said as if that explained it all. “He would have the balls of any man who was messing around with her. I wouldn’t take it personally.”

My eyebrows jumped up. “How do I not take it personally? I know he’s not a fan of her dating. Don’t get me wrong, I realize that it’s not easy for him to watch her grow up, but she’s an adult now.”

“Yes, an adult with feelings and a heart. And her brother doesn’t want anyone breaking that heart and making her cry.”

“I’m not trying to do that.” I grimaced. “He only seems to have gotten worse, if I’m being honest. I mean, I love the guy, but he’s completely irrational about it.”

Dad frowned. “Two grownups are allowed to have fun however they want together, but I bet Eric’s real issue is the idea of anyone jerking his baby sister around. You’re leaving at some point, and if it’s anything like last time, you’ll be a ghost again. It has to be hard on him, having to stand by and watch her making questionable choices when all he wants is to protect her.”

“So I’m a questionable choice?” I asked.

He rolled his eyes at me and shook his head. “That Peter was definitely a questionable choice. You’re better, but you’re another guy who is going to hurt her.”

“I would never⁠—”